We knew it, this season would not be like the others. With the World Cup placed right in the middle of the calendar, the bodies of footballers are put to the test. Result ? Repeated physical glitches, depriving the World Cup of many stars (Paul Pogba, Diogo Jota or Sadio Mane won’t tell you otherwise).
This exceptional season brought another condiment to the World Cup: surprises. With very different levels of fatigue depending on the nation, several countries have already succeeded in surprise during the first round.
And when we talk about surprise, it is impossible not to think of Morocco. Winner of Group F ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada, the Atlas Lions then left spain after the penalty shootout. Outsiders against Portugal in the quarter-finals, the teammates of Judge Ziyech will they quickly run out of steam as they dream of a historic place in the last four? Nothing is less sure…
Indeed, according to a study by CIES Football Obs, the men of Walid Reragui are supposed to be the “freshest” team of these quarter-finals since when we add up the number of minutes played by each Moroccan this season, we arrive at the number of 2599, against the 3502 minutes of the band at Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Lusitanians are also second in a ranking “dominated” by Brazil and their 3591 minutes. France of Kylian Mbappe points third, ahead of its future English rival. Argentinians and Dutch seem fresh with a sixth and seventh place, but with many more minutes on their counters than Morocco.
But this study can have a second reading. With almost a thousand minutes played less than Brazil, does Morocco have the football rhythm necessary to be able to dream (even more) big during this crazy World Cup? Answer in a few days….
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